Angel of Light
by EccentricFangirl777
Summary: It was spinning wildly and out of control. He didn't know how to stop, and so he continued down his dark path. Until he met her. His Angel of Light.
1. In the Beginning

**Last edited: Dec. 9, 2017**

* * *

 _The Surface world had always fascinated Lucy. The very few memories she had of her time as a human there were the roots of the interest, and the people she protected and guided were the water to feed it. The interest was the main reason why she could connect so quickly and easily with her wards and why she had the highest rate of all Celestial Beings of successful wards making it to their personal paradise._

 _But the interest gave her a thirst to return to the Surface world, regardless of the peace and bliss the Celestial world provided her._

 _Perhaps it was that insatiable thirst that Lucy found herself bargaining with her holiness for the sake of her most recent ward, Natsu Dragneel. Or, maybe it was, indeed, her heart's purest intention for her ward to succeed. She didn't know, but she felt that her purpose was not as clear-cut as she made it to be. And she knew that the Celestial King, in the deepest of deep in his hearts, knew that too._

 _"Very well, my child," he said sadly. "I will grant you two months, and only two months, to lead your straying ward back to the redeeming path. But be careful, my dear. The Surface world has always been laden with sin and vice, and you are very much susceptible to it because of your first human nature. Should you partake in any sins, I will not be able to welcome you back until you meet Azrael or any of his siblings once more."_

 _"My king," Lucy whispered, her head bowed. "Thank you."_

 _"You are sacrificing your entire being for the sake of one human," the Celestial King mused. "You take after one of my children from the past. The child may no longer be here, but I will always remember their pure intentions: love for a human." He sighed. "Love is the downfall of many, my child included. I warn you, Lucy, love is both a powerful shield and weapon. Be careful on how you wield it, my child. Love purely and wisely."_

 _"Always, my king."_

* * *

When he was a child, Natsu loved to stargaze. His father Igneel would always point out the several planets and stars that dotted the endless sky. He'd teach Natsu the names of the constellations and which stars made them up. Whenever Natsu felt down on the dumps, he'd always look up at the bright, twinkling stars and be reminded of his father.

Now... well, now, he couldn't see them.

Natsu took a drag from his cigarette, the initial burn from the smoke in his lungs fading into a pleasant tingle. He told himself that he'd quit after high school, and he did, up until he couldn't. Which was now. He sighed, the smoke from his lungs expelling out into the night. "Oi, Natsu," a voice said from behind him, and Natsu stiffened. "Loke and the others are looking for you."

"I know, Gray," Natsu said gruffly, refusing to turn around. He took in another drag from his cigarette.

"Dammit, Fruit Cake, I _told_ you to stop smoking!" Gray was much closer now, and Natsu growled before tossing the cig from his hands onto the dark streets below.

"Well, I told _you_ to stop following me!"

Several moments of silence passed, and just as Natsu began to relax, thinking that perhaps he'd left, Gray said, suddenly next to him, "You've changed, Nat."

"Haven't we all?"

"I know you're hurting," Gray said idly. "But I've already told you. I've let it go. You should too."

Natsu buried his face in his hands. "Shut up, Gray. I won't. I _can't._ This one, all of it... it's on me."

"Well, yeah," Gray said, snorting, and Natsu glared up at him. "But I already forgave you."

"How?" Natsu snapped, looking at his shaking hands. "How, Gray? I fucking killed-"

"Natsu?" The pink-haired boy froze before taking in a deep breath and turning to face Loke. The op-leader's normally-spiky hair flopped down onto his eyes, almost as if all the life within it had fled. His face was haggard and hollow, his eyes sunken and burdened with dark circles. He was tired and looked tired, but his crossed arms and stiff shoulders screamed strength and anger. Another talk, Natsu knew, just like the past couple days.

"What now?" he said impatiently before flinching at Loke's harsh glare.

"I don't want to repeat this conversation, Natsu," Loke said. "But we need to. It's been days—"

"—I can't do anything about that, Loke—"

"—you cost us a life, Natsu!"

"I know, but—"

"How long? How long will you go for this girl? How far, huh?" Loke closed the distance between them and grabbed Natsu's collar in anger. "You fucking killed your best friend over her!" he yelled at the younger man's face.

"I KNOW!" Natsu screamed, swiping away Loke's grip. "I know! God, I know."

"Why? Just tell me, why?"

"Do you know anything about love, Loke? Do you?" Natsu asked, glaring up at the man. "I'd do anything for her because I love her. She showed me hope when I couldn't go on. She was— is— my anchor. I'd do anything for her. Anything."

Loke's lip curled in disgust. "You'd kill your best friend for her? All because you love her?" Loke scoffed. "You've changed, Natsu. Normally, you wouldn't have let your _feelings_ take charge. Normally, you would've found a way around his request. You would've."

"But I _fucking changed_ ," Natsu said mockingly. "And because of me, Gray wouldn't be able to live his life the way he wanted to. Because of me, he won't be able to travel the world. Because of me, he wouldn't be able to marry the girl he loves." Over Loke's shoulder, Natsu met Gray's hooded ones. "Because of me, he died. I killed him. _I_ killed _him_." For several heavy seconds, all Natsu could hear was the blood rushing in his ears and the distant blare of traffic.

Loke gave Natsu a heavy look. "The higher-ups are getting really agitated over our loss. They gave us two months." He leveled Natsu with a warning. "You have two months, Natsu. Capture Tartaros. Confess. If not, then others will." Natsu watched as Loke turned round, walking past where Gray has been a minute earlier. "And it's not just love you're feeling, Natsu. It's an obligation. Trust me. I know."

Once Loke had gone, Natsu slammed a fist into the brick ledge, ignoring the pain that bloomed across his knuckles and the blood that dripped slowly onto the ground. "Dammit!" he screamed. "Dammit! It wasn't supposed to happen. I didn't fucking mean to do it." Natsu screamed out onto the sky, "Help me, please. I didn't mean to do it. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry..."

* * *

 _It had been a long and stressful month, but they had done it. Finally fucking done it. He, Gray, Alzack, and Gajeel had finally infiltrated the ranks of Tartaros and finally, give more support for Jellal, the first agent that had infiltrated Tartaros four months prior. Today would be the first mission they had together as a team, and the chances of them fucking it up was too high._

 _Good thing Natsu never really cared much for percentages, otherwise he would've pissed his pants and fled the mission._

 _"Oi, Pinky," Gray's grating voice said, and Natsu couldn't help but wince. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"_

 _"Nothing," Natsu said. "Is it time?"_

 _Gray nodded. "Yeah. But I wanted to talk to you before we turn on our com." He tapped his ears, which hid a small communicating device that Levy had made for them. "Wouldn't want Loke and the others to listen in." Gray pursed his lips. "I know you don't want to talk about it."_

 _Natsu pushed himself from the wall he was leaning against and brushed past Gray. "Then let's not talk about it," he said quickly, but Gray quickly intercepted him, grabbing his arm._

 _"You're not gonna let Lisanna distract you?"_

 _"Why the hell would I?" Natsu snapped. "She's already made up her mind, hasn't she?"_

 _"Natsu," Gray said impatiently, "you need to tell someone about her. Maybe Loke-"_

 _"Loke would pull me out of this," Natsu said agnrily. "I've devoted way too much time into this, Gray. I'm not going to let her distract me."_

 _"You sure about that?" Gray asked, sending him a look of skepticism. "I've seen the way you look at her Natsu. You're not over her, and I need you to promise that you won't let your personal feelings cloud your judgment. You've said it yourself. We've wasted too much time into Tartaros to fuck this op up."_

 _Natsu leveled Gray with a hard and determined look. "I won't, Gray. Just stick with your part, and I'll stick with mine."_

 _"Fine," Gray said, releasing his arm from his tight grip. "But if you do fuck this one up, Natsu, I'll annoy the fuck out of ya 'til the day I die."_

 _Natsu smirked, rolling his eyes. "Good luck with that, Ice Princess."_

* * *

 _"I really need to pee, guys," Alzack whispered, and Natsu chuckled when groans of disgust and disbelief filled his ears._

 _"Why didn't you before we left, Al?" Gajeel hissed. "Fucking idiot."_

 _"Just go," Loke's voice said, and although his voice was tinnier than the others', Natsu was once again impressed by Levy's ingenuity over technology. Loke and the base team were miles away from their location, and for them to even communicate from such a distance was a miracle. It blocked out all the noise from the outside other than their own voices, so the risk of interference dropped to basically zero._

 _"Hey, Loke, how long until the meeting starts?" Natsu asked casually._

 _He could literally see Loke narrow his eyes in suspicion. "Natsu, don't even_ think _of going anywhere. Stay where you are, got that?"_

 _"Fine," Natsu grumbled, but the food sitting invitingly on a maroon-covered table beckoned him, and his previous thoughts to explore the building quickly vanished as his stomach took over his brain. "Lovely food," he mumbled and began to stuff his mouth of the delicious appetizers._

 _"Oh shit," Gray said softly after several minutes passed. Natsu looked up from his food, discreetly wiping his hands against his pants, now on high alert. He searched the crowded place for Gray, wanting to help his friend should trouble come his way, but either he was too short, or Gray was in a completely different room._

 _"What is it, Gray?" Loke demanded._

 _"Mard Geer coming my way," Gray mumbled. "Shit, what do I do?" Natsu began walking around, casually looking out for his friend and Mard Geer and his conspicuous, high-ass ponytail among the crowd._

 _"Where are you?" Loke said. "Natsu, Gajeel, Alzack, if you see him, follow closely, got it?"_

 _"Lord Mard Geer," Gray said, a tone of respect and awe in his voice. "To what do I owe this pleasure in you meeting me, a lowly recruit?" There was a garbled response, the tone and pitch so obviously Mard Geer's own deep and dark voice, but Natsu was unable to hear his response. Perhaps Levy's contraption worked a little **too** well... "Of course, sir," Gray said after Mard Geer finished speaking. "I'll look for him."_

 _"Him?" Loke echoed. "Gray-"_

 _Natsu nearly jumped out of his skin when Gray appeared before him, a wide smile frozen on his face. Behind him, Mard Geer stood back, his face a picture of dangerous peace and arms crossed in an aggressive stance._ _"Natsu!" Gray said, clapping the pink-haired man on his shoulders. "Lord Mard Geer would like to have a private meeting with us."_

 _Natsu gulped down his food, grinning widely at the two and slipping into his happy-go-lucky role. "Roger!" he said happily. Mard Geer only gave him a small look of disgust before beckoning for the two to follow him. The two agents stared at each other briefly, neither knowing why they would be needed. Within seconds, Mard Geer led them through wide twists and turns, and the loud chatters and uproarious laughter from partying drunkards devolved into silence. "Where we goin', boss?" Natsu asked. "Will there be food?"_

 _Mard Geer barked out a laugh. "For the fish, yes" he replied casually. "You see, I've created the Tartaros from scratch as a way for society's no-gooders and hopeless miscreants to band together and actually make a living out of something. Within years, I've created an empire, one that society looked upon with fear and awe instead of condescending disgust. I'm proud of it and of all my members. We're a close knit group, we in Tartaros, you see." They stopped in front of a metal door that Mard Geer held open for the boys as if it were wood._

 _Gray and Natsu sent each other brief glances, both very much dreading where Mard Geer was going._ _"So imagine my surprise and pure agony when I realized that a spy had infiltrated our ranks." Mard Geer slammed the metal door shut, and the boys were plunged into darkness. Natsu settled into defensive mode, his senses sharpening as he attempted to assess and solve the situation, which honestly was looking grimmer and grimmer the more time passed._

 _In his ears, the rest of the team was in chaos. He could hear Gajeel and Alzack demanding to know what the hell was happening, as Loke shouted orders to the field agents to sit down and the sitting team, all of whom, Natsu knew, were panicking over the breach of information. "A spy?" he heard Gajeel say. "Who? **Who?** There can't be one, we've all been screened!"_

 _He knew who it was. And a feeling of dread and bile threatened to rise from within him as he realized who it was._

 _He had trusted her._

 _Slivers of light revealed the dark and imposing figure of Mard Geer, and suddenly, Natsu was aware of the other presences in the room. A frightening sneer crept onto Mard Geer's face, showcasing sharpened canines and highlighting the silvery scars that lined his face. "Gray Milkovich. Or should I say, Gray Fullbuster, son of Silver Fullbuster." Mard Geer began to laugh, shaking his head in amusement, his sneer widening into a predatory grin. "I should've known. The resemblance is there. I should've known that you both were traitors. Like father, like son, eh, Gray?"_

 _Mard Geer looked up, an expression of disgusting bliss written all over his face. "_ Man _, you must've really had a vendetta against me! But lemme just say, my dear Fullbuster..." He bent down to Gray's height, his eyes narrowing in distaste. "... it was liberating to feel his blood on my hands." He laughed, blocking Gray's attack with his arm and throwing him half-way across the room._

 _Natsu winced, barely stopping himself from helping his friend. He couldn't blow his identity now, either. It was best to remain still and silent._

 _Unfortunately, Mard Geer had seen the minute movement. "Ah Natsu!" he said, clapping his hands on Natsu's shoulders. "How could I have forgotten Tartaros' most promising recruit? It's a shame, really." Mard Geer tsked, shaking his head in disappointment. "You're with him, aren't you?"_ _Natsu gaped up at him in shock, refusing to break from his character. He had to keep it up, he had to, if not to save Gray, then himself **for the sake of the mission**. "It's all good. I have an ultimatum for you. Join us or die with the traitor."_

 _"I will always be part of Tartaros, Lord Geer," Natsu said immediately, bowing his head despite his stomach rolling in disgust over his words._

 _"Oh but words are just words aren't they? No. I need tangible proof. I want_ action _." Mard Geer withdrew a sword from his side, the blade singing in the air as it glinted threateningly in the dim lights. He handed the weapon to Natsu, who looked down on it in horror. "Same sword for Silver, same sword for Gray. Poetic justice, I say. But then again, I failed English in high school." He laughed again, the sound reverberating ominously in the dark room. "Kill him, Natsu, and prove to me your worth. Prove to me that you are part of Tartaros and our empire!"_

 _And so he did._

 _The blood that covered him and the floors, the cheers and whoops from the other ranking members of Tartaros— all were nothing to the betrayed light in Gray's fading eyes._

 _That he would take to his grave and beyond forever._

* * *

 **Word Count: 2800+**

 **What'd you think guys?! Don't worry, Lucy will be in the next chapter or two; I was only setting up the background and tone for the rest of the story ;D**


	2. Who Are You?

**Disclaimer: Hiro Mashima owns** ** _Fairy Tail_**.

* * *

Even after death, Gray would not stop bothering him.

Natsu thought he was going crazy at first— a _dead person_ following him! _The insanity!—_ but it would seem that the Gray-illusion was, after all, more than just an illusion; it was indeed, Gray the Annoying Ghost. All it took was a precious vase to the face and a threatening, hovering knife to his throat that had Natsu believing that his dead friend was back on Earth to once more annoy the fuck out of him.

In _every_. Single. Moment. Of. The. Day.

"Man, I'm glad I'm dead. Loke's fucking scary, eh, Natsu?" _Like right now_. "Speaking of, did Loke ever say what they're doing next? I mean, with all that shit week, I bet Geer's scouting the newbies."

Natsu shook his head. "No, he's not suspicious. He didn't make the connection that we were friends."

Gray gave him a blank look before doubling over in laughter. "U-us?" he sputtered between laughs. " _Friends_? Natsu, please. Everyone thinks we hate each other's guts."

"I still do," Natsu grumbled. "It's two fucking fifty in the morning, Gray. I need some sleep."

Gray shrugged and began floating around, his hands crossed behind his head. "Sorry. Death kinda fucks up your perception of time, ya know?"

"Of course I do." Natsu watched as his friend twirled around in circles. "Stop that. You're giving me a headache."

"You're just jealous that I can float around instead of getting my ass squished like yours." Unable to help himself, Natsu grabbed the decorative pillow on his couch and heaved it at Gray's head. Much to his dismay, however, it passed right through. Gray paused in his aerobics show to glare at his friend. "Don't do that! It feels tickly."

This time, Natsu grabbed a nearby pencil and aimed it at Gray's chest. "Hm? Did you say something, Gray?"

"You piece of—" A loud, metallic clunk cut him off, and Natsu jumped in shock. Gray dropped from the air ungracefully, landing on his bottom and disappearing on the floor. A second later, his head popped up, looking dazed. "The hell was that?"

Natsu shook his head before realizing what could've been the source of distraction. "Oh shit! My car!" He leapt up, and in a flash, had grabbed his keys and ran for the door. He flung it open, stepping out into the cold, evening air, freezing droplets of invisible rain prickling his skin. The darkness was like a shroud covering his eyes, and no matter the times he squinted, attempting for his eyes to adjust, he couldn't see anything past the curtain of darkness. "Hello?" he called out. "Anyone there?"

"That's what someone always says before dying in horror movies, Nat," a voice said from behind him, and the pink-haired boy screamed. Uproarious laughter followed immediately, and Natsu snarled, absolutely frustrated with Gray.

"Gray! Fucking hell!" He stomped his foot angrily, like a child in the midst of a temper tantrum. "Get the porch light before I join you in the afterlife!" The porch light lit up, illuminating the darkened street of Natsu's house, and the boy could just see the silhouette of his car. "It looks fine," he muttered, eyebrows creased. "Weird, it sounded like someone crashed into it or something." A gust of wind blew against him in the moment, and Natsu wished with all his heart that he had grabbed his jacket along the way. "Gray, can you get inside? You're bothering me with your stupid ghostly presence."

"I _am_ inside, dumbass!"

"Well then, leave!" Natsu said hotly, glaring at his friend. Gray just gave him a dark look before disappearing. Natsu huffed; arguing with Gray was honestly draining, and the amount of energy zaped from him after every encounter was unnecessary. It was three o'clock, for heaven's sake, and way too early to even take a piss, much less an argument with the ghost of his dead friend that he killed just under two weeks ago.

Oh, there was the headache.

Natsu sighed again, ready to go back inside his small house when he heard it. It was very small, very indistinguishable, but Natsu's acute hearing picked it up among the silence of the night. Footsteps.

 _Of what?_

Natsu squeezed his eyes shut, chills running down his back and not because of the evening air. "I swear to god Gray, if this is your idea of revenge, _it isn't funny_." Great, now he sounded like a damned damsel-in-distress from a horror movie.

Her soft voice reached his ears before he ever saw her move into his vision. "Natsu?"

He saw first her flaxen hair, glowing under the porch light like a halo framing her beautiful, petite face. Then he saw the rest of her, and Natsu found himself taking several steps back, his hands immediately covering his eyes as his face flushed red in embarrassment. "Oh my god!" he squeaked, voice embarrassingly high. "Woman! _Where are your clothes?!_ "

The woman, who seemed to be around his age or younger, looked down at herself. She grinned, lifting her arms and flapping it around. Her hands began to roam her upper arms, and she reached up and touched her hair. "Amazing," she whispered. "Like a human." She paused, her grin widening. "No. I _am_ human."

Natsu's eyebrows rose, but he resisted the urge to look at the woman out of confusion. "I'm dealing with a crazy," he mumbled. "Why me?" He sighed deeply, turning more fully to the girl but focusing his eyes to a certain spot way above her head. "Listen, lady, are you lost or something? I just got a car—" Natsu cut himself off, whirling around, wishing desperately that his new car would still be in mint condition. Unfortunately... "— that you dented," he said sadly, running his hand across the now-ruined hood. "I can take you to your home, I guess. Maybe you can call your parents too or anyone else you know."

The woman gave him a strange look. "Parents," she repeated, testing the word on her lips as if it were the first time she said that word. Her eyebrows furrowed. "I think I had them at some point," she said, "but I do not remember them."

Something in Natsu's heart reached out to her, pitying her situation. Then, a horrible, horrible thought crossed his mind as it made up a scenario that could've explained the girl's situation. "Listen, lady," he said slowly, his stomach churning angrily. "D-did anyone _touch_ you?"

The blonde gave him an odd look. "You are the first human I have seen today, Natsu," she said gently.

 _Natsu._

Realization dawned on him. She had used his christened name twice, and he had never met her before. "What did you just say?" he asked lowly. "How do you know my name?" His eyes narrowed as he surveyed his surroundings. Was this a ruse? A plot by Mard Geer and Tartaros?

The blonde only smiled, stepping closer to him. "Natsu," she said softly. "I've known you your entire life. I've looked over you, guided you when I could." _What?_ "I know who you are because _you_ are my ward—" She caressed his cheek, her chocolate-brown eyes soft, "—and _I_ am your guardian angel."

* * *

He must be crazy.

Yes, that was it. That was the only other explanation. It was one thing accepting the presence of the ghost of your best friend that you killed just to maintain your cover, but it was a _whole nother_ story to believe a naked young lady claiming to be your guardian angel for your entire life of twenty-years. Natsu ran his hands agitatedly against his face until the skin began to redden. "First a ghost, now an angel," Natsu muttered. "What's next? A bloody, fucking dragon?" He shook his head, his pink locks falling across his eyes.

Hearing soft footsteps behind him, Natsu said, "Did you find the clothes?"

"Yes," the girl said, and Natsu turned around, "but I do not understand how to put this on." She held up a pair of leggings, and it took all of Natsu's self-control to keep his jaw and gaze from dropping to inappropriate levels.

He sighed exasperatedly. "What clothes do you wear then, little lady? Skirts? Dresses? Or are you just another privileged brat?"

The blonde frowned. "I'm afraid I don't remember much about my life," she confessed.

"Great. I'm dealing with an amnesiac," Natsu mumbled. "Look, miss, I can take you to the police station if you want, but that's all I can do."

"The police...?" she echoed. "Law enforcers?"

" _Yes_ ," Natsu said irritably. "I'll bring you to them. They'll be able to help you, even if you _are_ an amnesiac." He paused. "Do you remember your name, lady? They'll be able to pull up your information, if you even know it."

The blonde stopped examining the black material of the leggings, looking up at his question. "My name..." she said slowly before brightening considerably. "Lucy. My name is Lucy." She looked at Natsu eagerly. "Do you think the police can help me find information about my past life?"

"Your _past_ life? Listen, lady, I thought you were an angel. Wait, no, don't answer that," Natsu said hastily, shaking his head furiously when she began to open her mouth. "Look, we gotta go. I need to go to work in a couple hours." He turned, walking towards the door when a firm hand wrapped around his wrist. ' _Shit, she's got a tight grip_ ,' Natsu thought, wincing inwardly.

"I came here for a reason, Natsu," she said softly but firmly. " _You_ are that reason." Natsu opened his mouth, ready to shoot down her declaration, but she held up a hand, suddenly commanding. "No. Listen to what I have to say, Natsu Dragneel. I have always looked over you ever since your birth. I _know you_. Your likes, your dislikes, what you've been through. Most of all, I know that you're capable of anything and _everything_." Natsu scoffed again. "I know who you are, Natsu Dragneel," Lucy said, her voice dropping several octaves, "but you have lost yourself. You're spiraling down a dark path, my love, and I'm here to help you."

Natsu bared his teeth in anger, incensed. Who was she to claim that she could help him? Lucy traced her hand down his cheek, and Natsu reared back at her cool touch. "You don't have to believe me now, Natsu," she whispered. "But just trust in me. Open your heart like you always had, and _trust_ me." Her wide, chocolate eyes caused uncomfortable flips in his stomach, and Natsu looked away, unable to maintain eye contact. There was something about her that pulled at Natsu's soul, pulled at all the guilt he felt and vanishing it all away as if it were nothing but a petty burden.

"Natsu. Look at me." Gentle fingers grabbed Natsu's jaw and forced him to look at her wide, innocent brown eyes. "You are loved, Natsu. You can be saved."

"How do you know?" Natsu asked bitterly.

Lucy smiled and touched her forehead to his chin. "Because you are my ward, my human. I _know you_." She smiled up at him, and Natsu's cheeks began to redden. "And because _you_ are Natsu Dragneel."

* * *

 **Approx Word Count: 1900**

 **It's really short, I know, but I didn't know what else to put. But, hey, at least** **Lucy's here!**


End file.
